Information on sesame (tila)

[N. Ganesan]

Ms. Asha naidu wrote:
<<<
I would recommend, that you refer to the book "Indian Food A Historical
Companion" by K.T.Achaya published by Oxford India Paperbacks in 1998
(first published in 1994 by Oxford University Press).
...

3. page 33
   A book is mentioned(M.S. Randhawa, A History of Agriculture in India,
Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, vol 1,1980, (a) p.
179 (b) p.195f (c) p 169) which is described as 'a well documented book
has appeared on the foods and drinks that occur in those Sanskrit works,
chronologically listed from the earliest times to about AD 1200'.
>>>

  Just like works of George Hart, Martha Selby, ... comparing
  Tamil love poems to Gatha saptasati, there is abundant untouched
  material on food in Tamil sangam texts. Acharya's book is
  great, even there the Dravidian words are visible. But, Acharya
  does not have enough Tamil to read sangam texts and commentaries.
  A companion volume to KTA can be done.

  He gives the name of the food manual done in Chalukya court.
 (bojana kutUhala?) A Kashmiri poet wrote the biography of a
  Chalukyan king.
  100s of references of tiger skin dress on "Siva
  occur in Tamil from 5th century AD. Except MBh. calling 'Siva
  vyAgra, not much connecting "Siva and tiger skin. It occurs
  in Tantrasaara. Its author, abhinavagupta himself says in
  Tantraloka that many 'Saivaite themes come from kumarikAdvIpa
  (extreme South India).

  In tEvAram, many citations occur in all forms of "siva mUrtis
  about female earring on male god, "siva. About 20 different
  'Siva mUrtis in Chola bronze masterpieces, have female earring
  on male 'Siva (cf. Manifestations of "siva). This appears
  rare in North India (I have to check more). It occurs
  one or two times only when "siva is with umA. ardhanArizvara
  or  "siva standing/sitting caressing umA in North India prior
   to 9th century.   The Paala-inspired Nepali art, especially
  Malla dynasty (13th cent. AD) etc., sculptures of "siva
  sitting with umA has definitely female earring on 'siva.

  Along with DakshiNAmUrti, Somaskanda is found only in
  Tamil Nadu. Look at the wall of any 'Siva shrine of
  Pallava times or Chola masterpieces. This is because
  Murukan-Skanda is special for Tamils/Dravidians.
  It seems Murukan was present in IVC. Kumaaragupta
  only has sculptures in North India for Kaarttikeya.
  Is KumArasambhavam a product of the Gupta age?

  I think Kashmiri Saivaites and their interaction
  with Saiva SiddhAntins of the Dravidian South takes
  solidifies "Saivaite ideas in Sankrit.

  In MatsyapurANam, ADi is the demon of sex doing mischief with
  PaarvatI   in MatsyapuraaNa (the son of andhakaasura, himself a
  dancer and son of 'Siva, the great dancer). Does ADi has
  anything to do with Tamil "aaDu" - to dance??
  In all Chola inscriptions, naTarAja is "aaDavalaan", the dance
  expert, king. Also, "siva is "kuuttu aaDi".

  More later,
  N. Ganesan





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